CAPITALISM IS OVER - Yanis Varoufakis On Digital Dictators And Techno-Feudal Economics

CAPITALISM IS OVER - Yanis Varoufakis On Digital Dictators And Techno-Feudal Economics

August 23, 2025

The Institute of Art and Ideas

Renowned economist and politician Yanis Varoufakis dissects the modern era of economics, analyzing everything from Donald Trump's trade wars to the end of capitalism as we know it.

Have we handed over power and control to Tech Bros like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg?

Capitalism has ended, and seemingly no one noticed - at least that's what renowned economist Yanis Varoufakis believes. In this new era of techno-feudalism, companies enclose their fiefdoms within which they decide how people enter the market and how sellers advertise their wares. In this interview, Yanis covers the method behind Donald Trump, how Trump's understanding of global power makes some sense, whether a trade war with China can be won, and the massive opportunity Europe is about to miss.

Yanis Varoufakis is a leading critic of the economic establishment. He was the former Finance Minister of Greece, a professor, bestselling author, and current chair of the Democracy in Europe Movement 2025. Interviewed by the host of The Why Curve podcast and BBC presenter Roger Hearing.

00:00 Techno-feudalism explained
01:11 Has capitalism really ended?
03:12 How would you define "cloud capital"?
05:42 Are we returning to the economic system that existed before capitalism?
07:00 How can we challenge the threat of techno-feudalism?
09:54 What are the chances of a complete switch to techno-feudalism?
10:53 How do you assess the early months of the new Donald Trump presidency?
14:29 Are Trump's tariffs deepening the economic crisis?
16:34 How will Trump's tariffs impact the United States' relationship with China?
19:47 Can Europe take advantage of the Trumpian chaos and the economic changes it brings?
22:47 Would you go back into politics?

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Original: https://youtu.be/RmuKn_RKVS4

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